Sound-producing device



Junie-10,1930; J.- M. HIGH, JR

' VSO'UND PRODUCING DEVICE ,Fil ed Sept. 5, 192 5 2 Sheets-Sheet -1 N k l ll l fl SOUND' PRODUCING DEVICE Fil ed Sept. 5, 1925 I 2 Sheet-Sheet '2 I un I mum Patented -Jun e 10, 1930 I I I i JOHN MEEKER HIGH, .03., or new YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR T HOPKINS CORPORATION, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, A. CORPORATION OF DELAWARE SOUND-PRODUCING DEVICE i p, v 4 Application filed September '3, 1925. Serial No. 54,204, I The general objectof this invention re- I have found. that by means'of this comlates to a sound reproducing device for use bination a .wonderful tone quality is 'proin connection with phonographs,.loud speakduced. The relatively small cone reproers, radio receiving set, etc. and the principal duces the highnotes while the sounding board 5 object is the production. of a simple, eilicient reproduces the low notesl With this combina-- 10 this character which due to its simplicity of board are free to vibrate so that and economical unit for the production of tion, itis possible to cover the whole range sound waves from an electrical or other type of audible sounds without causing the producof source. tion of extraneous and discordant sounds.

A further object is to provide a unit of 1\/Iy device works best when the edges of the construction, affords an exceptionally adto mount the whole device on resilient supvantageous commercial device for the uses ports such as 'cords, springs, rubber strips, to be set forth. or blocks, etc;

A very important object is to provide a The whole unit may be mounted in a pic- .5 device of this character wherein reproducture frame, the usualbox, etc. 7

tion of speech, music or other sounds, isse- While I have shown a regular cone'with a curediwith maximum volume and clarity and circular base and a rectangularsounding with minimum distortion Y board, I do not desire to be limited to these Other objects will appear as thedescripparticular physical configurations, as I realize 0 tion is developed hereinafter. that a cone of any size and shape either regu- '7 The invention consists substantially in the lar or irregular and a board of any geometriconstruction, combination, location and rel- I calform either regular or irregular may be ative arrangement of parts, all as will be utilized with good effect. In making these more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown elements, I also propose to make them of any by the accompanying drawings'an'd finally desirable thickness which may be constant pointed out in the appended claims.- ,orvaried either regularly or irregularly. Referring to the drawings: I Also they may be ribbed or corrugated. The

Figure l is a plan view of the back of my board may even-be flexed into a curved form,

device. 15 6 .1 38 acylind'er or half cylinder.

' Figure2'is a'sectional view on the line 2--2 I alsojizontemplate making the cone and of Figure 1-; s v sounding board of any suitable material, such Figure 3 is an enlarged view taken on the as'cardboa'rd, parchment, fiber board, wood, line 33 of Figure 2. sheet metal, etc. In my preferred form, I

Figure 4 is ane nlarged view ofthe'motor make the cone of parchment and the sounding Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on line It is also within the purview of my inven 5-5 of Figure 4- r tion to place the cone at the center of the Figure 6 is a sectional view of the cone sounding board or at any other point. Also and motor taken on line 6-6 ofFigure l. I may use one or more cones driven by-the The same parts are designated by the same same motor or by individual motors. i

reference numerals wherever they occur Many other modifications and changes in throughout the drawing. details of construction, shape, size and ma- An important feature of this invention is terial, as well as application of the invention the combination of a cone and sounding will quickly suggest themselves to one skilled board of relativelylarge dimensions as the in the art withoutdeparting from the spirit vibrating elements or diaphragm for the loud and scope of my invention, which I will despeaker. I I am aware that flat diaphragms fine in my appended claims.

as well as cones have been .used as the vibrat- In the arrangement shown in thedrawings, ing element, but it is my belief that the-comthe rectangular frame 1, is composed of the propose 60 and means for attaching it to the cone. board of balsa wood. 85

binationof the two is new with me. side pieces, 2, 2, and the and pieces 3," 3

- clamped together by the metal angle pieces 4, 4, 4, 4, and conventional wood screws. At each end of this frame is a rubber strip 5 attached at both ends to the side pieces, 2, 2. The sounding board 6 is mounted in these strips as shown in Fig. 2, so that the vibrations of the board are absorbed before" they; reach the frame 1., In the center of the board 6, I have shown a circular opening? through which the cone 8 extends. This cone has a flange 9, which is fastened. to the board by glue, for example.

At the apex of the cone is a metal thimble 10, with a plurality of lugs 11, which may or may not be glued to the cone as desired. On the inside of the cone at the apex is a small conicalthimble 12 (Figure 6) for re-enforcing the cone. At 13 I have shownby way of illustrat on amotor of the balanced armature type for changing the electrical currents into mechanon the end of the arm may be made to press ical movements as will be described. I intend, however, to use any suitable motor to operate this device.

The motor, (Figure 6) is composed of a cobalt steel permanent magnet 14 of the horseshoe type. Mounted between the poles 15, 15 of the magnet is a solenoid coil 16 with leads 17 attached to the binding posts 18. Attached tothe poles 15 are two laminated pole pieces 19 terminating on either side of the armature 20 which extends through the solenoid coil. A bracket 21 is rigidly fastened at 22 to the support 23 for the solenoid 16. Av rod 24 joins the free end of the bracket 21 and the armature 20, so that the armature vibrations may be transmitted to the bracket. A bolt 25 extends through the bracket 21, a rubber connection 26, thimble 10, cone 8 and thimble 12 and is secured therethrough by a nut 27 or a rubber connection i only may be used if desired. Thus, the vibrations of the armature 20 are carried to the cone and thence to the. board 6. Twopieces of insulating material 28, 29 are clamped into the arms. of the magnet 14 by a long bolt 30 and nut 31. The binding posts 18 are mounted on the piece 29. On the lowerend of bolt 30 is an arm 32 held in position by two jam nuts so that a rubber, felt, etc. ball 33 against the cone with any desired pressure and at any point. By means of this arm it is possible to dampen out any natural vibrationsof the cone and thus prevent extraneous noises.

The motor 13 is mounted on a bracket 34 which is fastened to the side pieces 2, 2 of the frame in any suitable manner. If desirable, I can place rubber or felt cushions between the feet of the bracket 34 and the frame to keep out the vibrations of the motor.

When the voice currents are sentthrough the coil 16, the armature 20 will vibrate under the influence'of the electro-magnetic fieldset rigidly joining said cone up, and these vibrations will be transmitted to the cone and sounding board which will then be set in vibration causing sound waves of large amplitude.

What I seek to secure-by United States 7 frame, said sounding board being carried by said bone, a vibratory motor for actuating said cone and a bracket carried by said frame for supporting said motor.

3. In a sound reproducing device, the com bination of a cone and asounding board carried thereby, means for operating said cone and board and means for vibrating said cone and board and means to control the vibration of said cone. p e

- 4. .In a sound reproducing device, a rigidly joined cone and sound board flexibly suspended from the cone, a motor, means for and motor and resil' ient means for mounting said motor.

5. In a sound reproducing device, a frame,

a cone, and sounding board unit, resilient connections between said frame and said unit and means to vibrate said unit, said resilient mounting permittingthe edges ofthe unit to vibrate freely.

6. In a sound reproducing device, a frame, a cone and sounding board freely and flexibly suspended therefrom to form a unit therewith, resilient connections between said frame and unit, an electrical vibratory means, means connecting said unit and said vibratory means and'means for mountingsaid vibratory means on said frame.

7; The combination according to claim 6 characterized by the provision fordamping out the natural vibrations of the cone.

8. In asound reproducing device, the combination of a vibratory'cone and a flexibly suspended balsa wood sounding board connected to the periphery of the cone.

9. A loud speaker comprisin a cone, a plane vibratory unit freely and ported thereby, a motor, means for. mounting said unit and said motor operatively together, and. means for damping out the natural period of vibration of the cone.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand on this first day of September, A. D.

JOHN MEEKER HIGH, JR.

exibly sup- 

